John Ficarra

Jan 12, 2025 | timesunion.com | John Ficarra

Beginning in mid-December, the nation has been both captivated and freaked out by the appearance of large drones flying over New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Despite increasing pressure from governors and local officials, the federal government has been less than forthcoming in addressing the situation, other than to insist the drones do not pose a threat. While reports of drone sightings continue, press coverage has slowed, leaving many unanswered questions. Here are some answers.

Dec 2, 2024 | boomermagazine.com | Nick Thomas |Elizabeth Ricketson |John Ficarra |Annie Tobey

Like the singer who made it famous, the novelty ’80s Christmas song, “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer,” is still going strong. ’Tis the season when television channels bombard us with round-the-clock Christmas movies while radio stations across the country add festive tunes to their daily playlists. In the latter case, one divisive ditty has been traditionally considered naughty or nice.

Nov 15, 2024 | airmail.news | John Ficarra

New York City mayor Eric Adams has issued a drought watch. The mandate comes after the city’s second-longest rainless streak ever recorded for the month of October. The announcement caught many by surprise, and social media was flooded (sorry) with a deluge (sorry again) of rumors about just what an official drought watch means for the average New Yorker. Below are some of the most persistent rumors and their veracity.

Nov 13, 2024 | boomermagazine.com | Greg Schwem |John Ficarra |Brian Marsh |Annie Tobey

From experience and the wisdom of age, humorist Greg Schwem has learned three common practices to avoid as you age, since they do not pair well with an aging body. BARRE BOOTCAMP!The phrase screamed at me as I entered my health club shortly after 5 a.m. last week. Written in blue marker on a whiteboard, “barre,” for those not familiar with ballet, is the horizontal bar dancers grip while performing certain exercises.

Oct 30, 2024 | boomermagazine.com | Patricia W. Finn |John Ficarra |Johanna Wald |Diana Raab

After a firm rejection, Patricia Finn rethinks her retirement goals and her outlook on aging. “The more you do it, the better it gets,” she says. I have always been a slow learner and only recently accepted the fact that I am aged out of the job market. Recovering from Covid isolation, in 2023 I was determined not to stay at home, so I searched the internet and found an ideal job. I submitted my application and was arrogant enough to be shocked when I was turned down.